Grader



March 23, 1937.

GRADER Filed July 9,

N. E. JERSEY 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. [V617 6'. c//"JeyATTORNEY);

March 23, 1937. N. E. JERSEY GRADER Filed July 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. Net! 6'. cj/v'e z ATTORNE J,

Patented Mar. 23, 193'? UNITED 5 AENT series GRADER Application July 9,1935, Serial No. 30,529

11 Claims.

This invention relates to means for mounting the forward end of theframe of a motorized grader in relation to an axle which carries thesteering wheels. In such a road grader it is usual to mount the frame,carrying the grader blade, on a tractor and in advance thereof. Suchframe extends forward of the blade and the forward end is supported uponan axle upon the ends of which are mounted steerable wheels in the usualmanner. To permit the front axle to accommodate itself to irregularitiesof surface without disturbing the cut made by the blade, theconventional mounting has been by means of a horizontal pinlongitudinally placed, as in the well understood oscillating type offront axle. Such mountings were accepted in graders of the earlymotorized development, but serious faults developed as improvements weremade in the tractor-grader combination which permitted operation athigher speeds. Though the axle accommodated itself to the irregularitiesof the work, it did not do so without imparting forces to the frame,which forces developed into a tendency to side-whip. These same forcesalso affected the cutting blade causing it to chatter and functionirregularly. The substitution of a spring suspension for theconventional oscillating mounting resulted in an improved operation, butsuch suspension is not effectual at the full speeds desired in the useof present day graders.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a dual frontaxle mounting which may be used at the pleasure of the operator eitheras an oscillating mounting or as a spring supported mounting.

Another object is the provision of means in connection with anoscillating mounting which overcomes the tendency to side-whip andchatter.

Another object is the provision of a spring mounted front end which maybe so adjusted, as to tension, that the weight of the entire axle andwheel assembly will be effective in holding a blade or scarifier incontact with the ground.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims. The annexed drawings and the followingdescription set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting however, but one of thevarious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In said annexed drawings:-

Flg. 1 is an elevational view of the front end of a grader showing,partly in cross-section, a mechanism mounting a grader frame on a frontaxle and embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view in cross-section of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the structure shown in Fig.2 taken on the line 33.

The drawings show the front end of a tractor grader of a type wellunderstood, having a frame 5i extending forward and resting upon a frontaxle and having a sub-frame, not shown, sus-- pended from said frame,which sub-frame carries the blade or other working tool and isadjustable relative to said frame 5!. The forward connection of saidsub-frame with said frame 5| is through a ball and socket joint 52mounted on the head-casting 56, hereinafter described, in thelongitudinal median line of the grader. In the grader shown the sidemembers 9 of the frame 5! have been carried forward past the front axleand then bent together and united by a casting 53 which is tied to thefront axle by a yoke 54 through a ball and socket joint 55. Transverseof the frame 5i above the front axle is a headcasting joining the twoside members 9. This head-casting is formed with two spaced verticalplate-members 51, disposed transversely of the grader, which areconnected by a web member 8 which is horizontally disposed between saidvertical members. Referring to the drawings, on the front axle I, saddlemembers 2 are mounted equidistant from the center point of the axle.These saddle members 2 present semi-spherical surfaces upon which areseated caps 3, each of which has a centrally located recess 4 andaperture 5. Removably mounted by bolts 6 and nuts 7 in holes in thehorizontal web-member 8 of the grader frame 5! are cup-like members Ii]having apertures ii centrally located through the bottoms thereof.Spiral springs !2 are mounted between cup-like members It] and caps 3.Threaded bolts it within the spiral springs l2 connect the caps 3 andthe cup-like members It through the apertures 5 and II, respectively.The heads it of the bolts are held in the recesses 4 of the caps and thethreaded ends pass upward through sleeves l5 slidably mounted in theapertures ll of the cup-like members ill. Nuts 16 on the threaded end ofthe bolts !3 bear against collars ii on the sleeves 15 which restrictdownward movement of the sleeves through the apertures i l. Throughadjustment of nuts i6 relative positions of the caps 3 and the cup-likemembers ii] are determined and the tension of the springs i2 regulated.

Cir

In the head-casting 56 dependent webs l8 below the middle section [9 ofthe horizontal web members 8 form with the front and back verticalmembers 51 of the head-casting 56 a vertical guide box 20. Within thisguide box is a guide block 2| in close-fitting sliding relation betweensaid dependent webs 18. A threaded bolt 22 slidably,mounted through anaperture 23 centrally located in the top of the guide-box 20 isconnected to and supports the guide-block 2|. Mounted on the upper endof bolt 22 is a washer 24 between which and the head of the guide-box,or section [9 of the web member 8, is seated a spiral spring 25. Nuts 22on the bolt 22 adjustably control the tension in the spring 25.

The guide-block 2! is formed with an extended slot 26 therethroughopening in the faces 21, which faces are in close-fitting contact withthe dependent web-members 18 in the head-casting 56. A yoke member 28fixedly mounted on the upper face of the axle l passes through the slot26 in the guide-block 2|. Through concentric apertures in the yoke 28and the front wall 29 and the rear wall 3|] of the guide-block, abushing 3| is mounted holding said block and said axle in fixed verticalrelation, but permitting limited rotation of said block about the axisof said bushing.

When it is desired to operate the grader with an oscillating front axle,a center pin may be so mounted through said bushing 3| as to engageapertures 32 in the front and rear vertical members of head-casting,which apertures are so positioned in said vertical members as to alignwith said bushing when the guide-block is in the desired position. Whenso used with an oscillating front axle, the operation thereof will bethe same as when standard oscillating front axle mounted except that byproperly tensioning the spiral springs I2, they are given the functionof stabilizers and will counteract the tendency of the frame and bladeto side-whip in operation.

When used without a center pin tying the frame and the front axletogether as described,

' the grader functions as one with the frame, spring mounted upon thefront axle. This mounting is through the two spiral springs i2 which maybe properly tensioned for such a mounting. Instead of oscillationbetween the frame and front axle about a center pin which oscillationsare controlled by the springs l2, the movement between frame and axle isvertical through the springs I2. The guide block in the guide boxmaintains constant lateral relation between the frame and axle and theyoke 54 maintains constant longitudinal relation. Vertical relationbetween the front axle and the frame may be controlled by adjustment ofthe spiral spring 25 which resiliently connects the frame to the frontaxle. This spring may be so tensioned as to compensate for the weight ofthe entire front axle and wheel assembly when forward driving pressureis applied to the working tools of the grader. When so tensioned spring25 will take all recoil out of the front end of the grader which wouldotherwise result from riding on the springs [2.

The improved front mounting when used with a center pin provides meansadapted to counteract and restrain oscillations about such pin caused byvariation in movement between axle and frame. This prevents side-whip ofthe frame which is a cumulative result of'such oscillations. When usedwithout a center-pin the new mounting provides a side spring suspensionbetween axle and frame. This inherently avoids aoraoe side Whip and thetendency in such a mounting for the frame to lift off the axle assemblyis restrained by the resilient vertically sliding connection betweenframe and axle provided through the slide-box and its connecting rod.This resilient connection may be adjusted as to tension by means of thenuts mounted on said rod.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:-

1. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carrying steerablewheels; a frame adjustably supporting a work tool such as a graderblade; springs, adjustable as to tension, positioned one at either sideof said frame and supporting same on said axle; an element connectingsaid frame and said axle, said element being in advance of the axle andconnected to the frame in the longitudinal median line thereof by aconnection which restrains movement between said frame and said axleexcept movement rotative with respect to said connection; and means,adjacent said axle in the longitudinal median line of said frame,connecting said frame to said axle, said means restraining all relativemovement therebetween except rotative movement about an axis passingthrough said first stated connection and resiliently restrained verticalmovement in an are about said first stated connection.

2. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carrying steerablewheels; a frame adjustably supporting a work tool such as a graderblade; springs, adjustable as to tension, positioned one at either sideof said frame and supporting same on said axle; an element connectingsaid frame and said axle, said element being in advance of the axle andconnected to the frame in the longitudinal median line thereof by aconnection which restrains movement between said frame and said axleexcept movement rotative with respect to said connection; means,adjacent said axle in the longitudinal median line of said frameconnecting said frame to said axle, restraining all relative movementtherebetween except rotative movement about an axis passing through saidfirst stated connection and resiliently opposed vertical movement in anare about said first stated connection; and removable means preventingsaid vertical movement last stated.

3. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carrying steerablewheels; a frame adjustably supporting a work tool such as a graderblade; springs, adjustable as to tension, posi-- tioned one at eitherside of said frame and supporting same on said axle; and an elementconnecting said frame and said axle, said element being in advance ofthe axle and connected to the frame in the longitudinal median linethereof by a connection which restrains relative movement between saidframe and said axle except movement rotative with respect to saidconnection.

4. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carrying steerablewheels; a frame adjustably supporting a work tool such as a graderblade; a connection supporting said frame on said axle, said connectionincluding a removable element which permits said frame and said axle tooscillate thereabout in a plane transverse to said frame; and springs,mounted at either side til of said frame between same and said axle,resisting such oscillations and supporting said frame when said elementis removed from said connection.

5. In apparatus as described, an adjustable resilient connection betweena grader frame and a front axle carrying steerable wheels, comprising aguide-box rigidly mounted on such frame and having lateral internalbearing surfaces with vertical slots therethrough; within said guidebox,a guide-block having a slot therethrough transverse to the grader frame,having lateral bearing edges in contact with said bearing surfaces insaid guide-box, and having aligned apertures in the front and rearwalls; an element rigidly mounted on the axle, which element enters thesaid slot in said guide-block and has an aperture in alignment with saidapertures in the walls thereof; a bushing through said apertures wherebysaid block is rotatably connected to the axle; and a resilient mountingsuspending said guide-block from the grader frame, said mounting havingmeans whereby to tension the resiliency thereof.

6. In apparatus as described, a convertible connection between a graderframe and a front axle carrying steerable wheels, comprising a guide-boxrigidly mounted on such frame, having lateral internal bearing surfaceswith vertical slots therethrough, and aligned apertures in the front andrear walls; within said guide-box a guide-block, having a slottherethrough in the plane of the axle, having lateral bearing edges incontact with the bearing surfaces in said guidebox, and having alignedapertures in the front and rear walls; an element rigidly mounted on theaxle, which element enters said slot in said guide-block and has anaperture in alignment with the apertures in the walls thereof; a bushingthrough said apertures whereby said block is rotatably connected to theaxle; a resilient mounting suspending said guide-block from thegrader-frame, said mounting having means whereby to tension theresiliency thereof; and a center pin removably inserted through theapertures in said guide-box and through the said bushing.

7. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carrying steerablewheels; a frame adjustably supporting a work tool such as a graderblade; springs positioned one at either side of said frame andsupporting same on said axle; and means, adjacent said axle in thelongitudinal median line of said frame, connecting said frame to saidaxle, said means translating relative movement therebetween intoresiliently restrained movement substantially vertical and substantiallywithin a plane transverse to said frame.

8. In apparatus as described, in combination,

an axle carrying steerable wheels; a frame adjustably supporting a worktool such as a grader blade; springs, adjustable as to tension,positioned one at either side of said frame and supporting same on saidaxle; means adjacent said axle in the longitudinal median line of saidframe connecting said frame to said axle, said means restraining allrelative movement therebetween except resiliently opposed rotativemovement transversely of the grader and resiliently restrained verticalmovement; and removable means preventing said restricted verticalmovement.

9-. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with aWheel supporting axle and a tool supporting frame, of means supportingsaid frame on said axle and securing the latter to the former, saidmeans comprising springs extending between opposite sides of said frameand said axle, and means intermediately of said springs connecting saidframe and axle rotative movement therebetween permitting and translatingall other movement therebetween into resiliently limited relativemovement therebetween substantially vertical and substantially within aplane transverse to said frame.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with awheel supporting axle and a tool supporting frame, of means supportingsaid frame on said axle and securing the latter to the former, saidmeans comprising a removable element centrally positioned and disposedlongitudinally of the said frame restricting relative movement betweensaid frame and said axle to rotative movement thereabout and cooperatingelements permitting vertical movement and resltraining other movementtherebetween; and means resiliently opposing such rotative movement,said means comprising springs located between said frame and axle oneither side of said first stated means which springs support said framewhen said element is removed from said supporting means first stated.

11. In apparatus as described, in combination, an axle carryingsteerable wheels, a frame adjustably supporting awork tool such as agrader blade, a connection supporting said frame on said axle, saidconnection including elements restricting horizontal relative movementbetween said frame and said axle and freely permitting vertical relativemovement therebetween, and a removable element restricting relativemovement between said frame and said axle to oscillations about saidlast-named element in a vertical plane transverse to said frame; andsprings, mounted at either side of said frame and between same and saidaxle, operative to resist such oscillations and operative to resilientlysupport said frame when said last-named element is removed.

NEIL E. JERSEY.

